PORTLAND, Oregon — Did you ever look around, smile and think, "Yeah, I'm witnessing a part of local history tonight"? I had just that feeling the other night in Portlandia during the Rose City's first-ever Pudding Wrestling Massacre.
Don't worry. There was no death or blood. Just laughter and pudding. (Lots of laughter. Lots of pudding.)
The genius behind the weirdness is Ashley Ryon, a 28-year-old social media marketer currently living in PDX with dreams of making it big in SFO. While living in Vegas a few years ago, Ryon participated in a casino-sponsored mud wrestling tournament. When her friend made the rent after a night of wrestling, it got the wheels turning.
Ryon didn't create pudding wrestling, but she did put a pro wrestling spin on it. Grapplers on hand Friday night included Lacey Lacem (who wore lace), Honey Badger (who didn't give a shit) and Betty Knockers (who had big, well, you know...). The bouts of badasses in kiddie pools of pudding weren't staged, though. Only the strongest advanced.
And why pudding? First off, It's a little tastier than mud. Plus, it's slippery yet also easy to wash out of clothes. (And camera gear, thankfully.) What is tricky is finding wrestlers. Thankfully, a social networker was in charge and able to round up a group of grapplers.
"It's more the average girl next door that's interested in pudding wrestling," Ryon said.
In total Portlandia fashion, two of the judges were actually from Portlandia. One was a producer, the other a local bearded icon. (Side note: This is why I don't watch the show. I live it. For me, it's more a documentary than a comedy.) Another judge was a drag queen, and yet another the owner of the locally hip Voodoo Doughnut. Some were dressed in ugly sweaters that only Bill Cosby could envy. Not all could stay for the three-hour event, so Ryon got creative.
"Some guy begged me to be a judge," she said. "I told him, 'Well your dream is coming true tonight.'"
The event drew about 250 people. For those keeping score at home, Betty Knockers knocked out the competition to claim the championship belt. But who keeps score at Weird Sports?
"We're crossing our fingers that Portlandia had so much fun that they'll do a feature on it," said Ryon, who hopes to find sponsorship so that she can take her act on the road. "I think the rest of the country is ready for pudding wrestling."
Editor's note: Sol is starring in a show at Screaming Sky Gallery in Portland through April 22 if you want more awesome art.
